


Damaged Freaks

by Dontatmethanks2



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, BAMF!Hange, But Not Much, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, F/M, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Hange has a tragic childhood, Heavy Themes, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lots of Angst, Mature and offensive language as well, Meet-Cute, Not for the faint of heart, Other, Past Child Abuse, edgy aesthetic levi, fuck Floch, fuck Hange’s uncle, fuck Levi’s mom’s boyfriend, levi has a tragic childhood, levi is a bit ooc in this, lots of future violence, maybe hange too, protective Hange, she is still nerdy though, takes place in chicago, there will be soft moments between them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2019-10-01
Packaged: 2020-10-26 06:08:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20737457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dontatmethanks2/pseuds/Dontatmethanks2
Summary: “ Don’t ever put your dirty ass hands near my face again.” Was the first thing she heard out of the boy’s mouth when she let go.“Seriously?” She laughed looking him over. “I just saved your dumb ass and you call me dirty?”“It’s cause you are.” He said blankly.“You’re not so clean yourse- Oh, hey! You go to my school!”~Hange rescues Levi from a dangerous confrontation, in turn he puts up with the friendship she throws at him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing something with such dark themes.😬 it’s kind of scary. (I’m sorry Hange and Levi 😭)

If there’s one thing Hange Zoe hated the most it was bullies, it was just above her creepy uncle Leroy.

The fourteen year old gangly brunette was walking back from spending time at the lake that was near her home. She liked to do her homework there, her house was too stuffy too concrete. She’d often liked to stay longer after she finished her homework to watch the ducks waddle around, or maybe it was just to avoid spending so much time at home.

She was just passing by a local abandoned bridge when she heard a loud ‘oof’ and something thump on the ground. The girl paused, turning towards the direction of the noise before adjusting her glasses and making her way towards the source. 

As she made her way around the bridge, she caught sight of four boys that looked to be around the same age as her. One of them was on the ground looking pissed as hell at the other three who looked down at him with vicious smirks. The boy on the ground had dark black hair that was styled into and undercut, it was a little tussled perhaps maybe he fell. The other three boys were wearing the same school uniforms she was, ah now that she looked closer she knew who they were. They were Floch, Rod and Herman, a known group of bullies in the grade above her, she had a few run ins with them before, nothing she couldn’t handle though.

“Are you gonna sit there and take it?! Haha, just like your mom does because she’s a whore!” Floch yelled down at the boy who was on the floor, who clenched his hands in the grass below him. Hange could tell he was shaking, not in fear but with rage.

She understood exactly what was happening.

The teen slid off her backpack from her shoulders and threw it on the floor before marching over to the group of boys.

“Pussy boy!” She heard one of the others say.

“Hey!” She yelled at them and the all turned to look at her, including the boy on the floor.

“Leave him alone.” She ground out as she stopped just behind the boy on the ground and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Who the fuck invited you over here, tranny?” Floch seethed at her.

She rolled her eyes at the remark. Some of the people at school liked to call her that because of the lack of female attributes her body displayed, it wasn’t her fault that puberty hated her.

“You need to get a new hobby, Floch. Because this bullying thing is getting a bit old.”

The boys all looked at each other before bursting out laughing.

“Fuck you, dyke!” Herman yelled before high diving Rod.

Hange looked down at the boy on the ground who was now looking at his soiled clothes with an almost saddened look.

“You okay?” She asked him, crouching down near his side to look at his face.

Her big brown doe eyes met norrow slate like blue and grey colored eyes that bore into her very soul. She felt a flicker of recognition spark inside her but before she could say anything Floch began to speak again.

“He’s fine, just spreading his legs like his momma hahaha!” Him and his lackeys laughed annoyingly.

Hange could see the boy next to her grit his teeth hard.

“Shut the fuck up and leave him alone you pricks.” The girl fumed. “Don’t you have to go home and jerk off or something?”

“Yeah, maybe you wanna do it for us. I heard you’re very good at it.” Floch jeered at her while the other boys did a jerking off motion with their hands.

Her blood ran cold at his remark. He couldn’t have possibly known about her, he was just pressing her buttons. But there was something about how cocky his voice sounded that made her want to rip his head clean off his shoulders. 

The boys were still laughing amongst themselves when she got up, giving her a good advantage. 

She quickly walked up to floch before clenching her right hand into a fist and leaning back.

“What are y-”

With a loud pop the brunette decked the shit out of him, causing him to scream out in pain and fall backwards onto the ground.

“Shit.” Hange spat while clutching her now throbbing hand.

“You bitch!” The now bleeding Floch screeched at her before slowly getting up with the help of his friends.

Hange quickly retreated, turning to the boy who was still on the ground watching her in shock. She grabbed him by the wrist before yanking him up.

“Run if you don’t want to get the shit kicked out of you!” She told him before bolting.

The boy ran after her as she scooped up her bookbag and ran around the bridge and into the streets. The both of them could hear Floch and the others yelling after them.

Hange and the boy ran for their life, zigzagging and turning random corners to get the bullies off of their tail. 

She made a quick decision to pull herself and the boy into an alleyway near a drugstore and clamped a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet. The boy squirmed a bit underneath her hold but gave up once he heard Floch and the others.

“Fuck, we lost them!” They heard Rod yell.

“Whatever I need to get my shit patched, let’s go.” Floch seethed before walking away.

Hange waited until the coast was clear to release the boy, and let out a triumphant sigh of relief.

“ Don’t ever put your dirty ass hands near my face again.” Was the first thing she heard out of the boy’s mouth when she let go.

“Seriously?” She laughed looking him over. “I just saved your dumb ass and you call me dirty?”

“It’s cause you are.” He said blankly.

Now that Hange got a good look at him she noticed how short the boy was, he also looked younger than her too but grumpy.

“You’re not so clean yourse- Oh, hey! You go to my school!” She pointed out now noticed that he was in fact wearing the same school uniform as her.

The boy huffed and adjusted the straps of his school bag and dusted his clothes off. “It’s my first week.”

“Really?” Hange said, tilting her head to examine him. “What grade?”

“Ninth.”

“Ninth?! You look so young!” She exclaimed.

The boy rolled his eyes at her. “I turned fifteen last month.”

Hange gaped at him. He was older than her?! If she didn’t know better she would say he was in the eighth grade at most.

“Well, damn. Why did you transfer schools so late in the year then? It’s January.” She asked him as the both of them began to walk out of the alleyway and into the streets.

“I moved.” He said flatly, not looking at her.

“Oh.” Was all she said as the fell into silence, only the sound of their footsteps echoing against the pavement flowed through the afternoon air around them.

“Hey, uh don’t take what those assholes said to heart, okay? They don’t know shit.” Hange said to him.

The boy gave her a sideways glance. “I know.” He muttered before glancing at her swelling hand.

“You should get that checked out.” He told her, still not quite looking at her directly. “In case you broke something or some shit.”

She looked down at her hand before shrugging.

“With some ice it should be fine, nothing feels broken though but thanks.”

The boy shrugged as he followed her up to the street her house was in.

“What’s your name by the way?” She asked him, curiously glancing over at him.

“Levi.” He told her before slipping his hands into the pockets of his school sweater.

“Cool. I’m Zoe, but people call me Hange.” 

“Okay....Hange.” He said, testing it out.

She grinned as she stopped in front of the driveway of her house.

“And now you know where I live!” She chimed before pushing her glasss up the bridge of her nose.

“Awesome.” Levi said bluntly.

Hange laughed. “Okay well, I’ll see you then.”

He nodded before turning to leave.

“Oh wait!” Levi paused to look back at her.

“Do you think we could maybe hang out at school? Since you know, you’re new and all and I just saved your life an-”

“That’s fine.” He said flatly before turning to leave again. “Thanks by the way.” He yelled over his shoulder before quickly walking out into the street.

“Don’t sweat it.” Hange whispered back.

Her mood quickly changed once she stepped foot into her house. 

By the smell of it she could tell her mom had cooked. The teen glanced at the clock on the living room wall, it was well after seven so they definitely ate without her. 

She walked into the kitchen and spotted the dirty dishes in the sink that helped confirm her suspicion. Her parents stopped waiting for her to eat dinner together long ago, she liked to stay out a lot.

Negligence was an ongoing theme with her parents. They liked to put on the caring parents show when they were in public, but once they were behind the doors of their home they pretty much ignored her, put her off, and dismissed her.

She’s sure that maybe, somewhere deep in her parents brittle hearts there was love for her and she herself loved them to some degree. But if you asked her what their loved felt like she wouldn’t be able to give a good answer.

Hange blamed it mostly on her parent’s busy life, her father was an architect and her mother was ironically a child therapist. So that meant that they spent a lot of their time working.

Ever since she was little her parents were handing her off to random people to look after her for the day, sometimes overnight. One of the people who would babysit sit her happened to be her uncle Leroy, her mother’s borther. Needless to say it was a big mistake on her mother’s part.

At first Hange really liked being over at his place, he was nice to her and would let her play in his garden a lot. He would even make her these lemon squares with icing sugar on it that Hange really enjoyed.

Then one night he slipped into the room she was sleeping in and climbed into bed with her. She was six the first time it happened.

At first she didn’t know what the fuck was even happening, she didn’t know better. It wasn’t until she started school that she found out what it meant after asking around.

It wasn’t like she didn’t want to tell her parents, she tried many times but was always brushed her off.

“Not now Zoe, I have to go over these blueprints.”

“Zo honey, I’m on the phone with a patient.”

She gave up after countless of tries, they wouldn’t believe her anyways, her mother thought her brother was a saint of a man. He ended up stopping when she was nine, when he moved out of state to live in one of his vacation homes.

Hange sighed as she plucked the leftovers out of the fridge and popped it into the microwave, pressing the correct reheat buttons before leaning against the kitchen counter.

Yeah, her childhood was fucked up but she was done crying about it. So what if her parents ignored her for most of her life, so what if she was molested for four years, boo-fucking-hoo.

She was never the type to play the victim card, infact she used this as a way to propel herself infto focusing on her school work so she could get medical research degree and move away to someplace else to create the cure for cancer or some shit.

Yes, she had big plans, plans that were bigger than her past issues. Christ, she thought her mother was supposed to be the therapist.

The microwaved beeped and Hange shook her head before taking the now steaming plate of food out and taking it up to her room along with her book bag. 

“I’m home!” Levi called out once he entered through the doors of his small one story trailer home.

When he didn’t receive an answer he shrugged off his school bag and sweater before hanging it and placing the bag on the dining room table. The ravenette made his way down the hallway and to his mother’s bedroom.

“Mom.” He said before lightly knocking on the door.

He heard some shuffling behind the door before it opened to reveal a pale tired looking woman with dark wavy hair that went pass her shoulder. Her eyes were the same color as Levi’s but they were a bit rounder and dull, with dark bags hanging under them. She gave her son a small smile before cupping his face in her delicate hands and placing a tender kiss on his forehead.

“How was your day baby?” Her voice was tired and hoarse.

Levi shrugged, slipping his own pale hands into the pockets of his school pants.

“Nothing special, ma.”

His mother gave him a breathy laugh. “Is that so? Well I’m still proud of you then.”

He gave her a halfhearted smile.

“Is he here?” 

His mother’s smile faltered before she shook her head.

“He left a couple of hours ago, he should be back when it gets dark. There’s food in the kitchen, it’s not much but it should hold you over til tomorrow. And don’t forget to do your homework.”

Levi nodded and she went back into her bedroom and closed the door softly. The teen then went into the kitchen to heat up the food.

Levi hoped he had a little time to hop in the shower before his mom’s boyfriend came back, that prick loves to use up all the hot water. He thinks he owns the place whenever he’s here, it almost drove Levi insane. He was there in the last house they were in had fist sized holes riddled all over the walls, it was a constant mess when Levi wasn’t around to clean up and it was smaller than the new one they moved into.

He’d hoped that his mother would ditch him when they moved but nope, he just stuck onto them like a fucking leech. And to top things off his mom was dealing with frequent health issues that made her bedridden and unable to work, so that left them relying on her not so reliable boyfriend for cash.

Levi ate quickly and quietly over the kitchen counter before cleaning up his dishes and putting them in their place. He then took his things into his room and heading into the only bathroom in the house and brushing his teeth. He went back into his bedroom to get a change of clothes and headed back into the bathroom to get in the shower. He was halfway through the process of stripping his dirty clothes when he heard the front door open and slam close.

Shit.

Levi hurriedly pulled the rest of his clothes off before hopping into the shower and turning the water on. The freshman made quick work of lathering his body with soap and rinsing off before moving onto his hair, but before he could reach for the shampoo the shower curtain was pulled open.

“What the fuck?!” Levi yelled, voice cracking a bit as he wrapped his arms around himself to cover his soaking form.

“What the fuck are you doing in here, brat!” His mother’s boyfriend yelled at him.

He was in his construction uniform, his work clothes, face and hands covered in sweat and grime from a hard days work. He wore a deep scowl on his sunburnt face. 

“I’m taking a shit, what the fuck does it look like I’m doing in here, David!” Levi spat back at him, shivering slightly. The water was still on but it now ran cold.

“You keep fucki’n with me kid and I’ll show you where that’ll get you.” David ground out before suddenly grabbing Levi by his wet hair and yanking him out of the shower.

The boy cried out, grabbing at David’s wrists in an attempt to get him to let go of him. The older man didn’t relent though, he pulled the ravenette so hard that his feet slipped out from under him and he ended up dragging Levi out of the bathroom by nothing by a fistful of hair. The teen’s feet met carpet and he used the friction to plant both of his feet against the floor before twisting in David’s hold and kneeing the man in the gut. He grunted in pain as he loosened his grip on Levi who yanked himself free before falling backwards onto the floor.

Before Levi could get up David was already on top of him, large dirt covered hands wrapping around the young boy’s neck.

“This is Kuchel’s fault for babying you too much .” The man spoke gruffly as he choked him. “Too much smothering turns you into a pussy.”

Levi gasped bucked and kicked in attempt to throw the man off of him to no avail. His vision was already spotting and his lungs began to burn.

“David!” It was his mother who finally came out of her room to see what all the noise was about, only to see her wet naked teenage son being choked by her boyfriend.

“Get off David, now!” She pleaded.

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance before removing his hands from Levi’s neck.

The raven haired boy coughed and gasped for air before popping David on his jaw with his fist and kicking him off.

“You little shit!” The man yelled and attempted to grab Levi again but was quickly stopped by   
Kuchel.

“Leave him alone, David!”

The man hissed before stomping off into Kuchel’s bedroom, rubbing at the spot where Levi hit him.

“I’m so sorry baby.” Kuchel apologized as she attempted to help her son up but he flinched away and glared up at her.

“If you were sorry you would have gotten rid of him the first day he beat the shit out of me.” He ground out before getting up and bolting to his room, leaving his mother a tearful mess in the middle of the hallway.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is such a smol tuff bean in this fic and Hange is a sweet lil hurricane <3

Hange didn’t see Levi when she got to school.

What did she expect really, that he was going to wait for her at the front doors of the school? Please, they barely knew each other for a couple minutes, half hour at best.

She wouldn’t blame him though, her type of company wasn’t for everyone.

The first half of her day went by as any other, that is until lunchtime rolled around. Like usual she brought her own lunch and sat outside with a small group of people she liked to call friends.

The group was made out of five people, excluding herself. Two girls named Nanaba and Petra and three boys named Mike, Oluo and Moblit. They all sat at a table underneath a large oak tree out in the shook courtyard.

“Hey Hange.” Petra greeted her cheerily as she sat in an empty spot next to Nanaba.

“Hey.” She smiled and nodded to everyone before pulling out a bag of chips from her book bag and ripping it open.

The group resumed whatever conversation they were having and Hange listened and halfheartedly munched on her chips while looking around for a certain dark haired short, grumpy looking figure. She was begging to think he didn’t show up to school at all until she finally spotted him wandering aimlessly around the courtyard alone. What Hange also noticed was that he didn’t have a lunch tray with him.

“Levi!” She called out to him, jumping up from her seat and startling both her group and Levi himself.

The ravenette froze when she waved him over before he slowly walked over to her.

“Hi there stranger.” She spoke to him with a wide grin.

“Hi..” He said warily and nodded at her, gripping the strap of his school bag.

“These are my people.” Hange joked as she gestured towards the group of people that she was sitting with.

The all greeted Levi with friendly ‘hi’s’ and ‘yo’s’ and Levi nodded at them in return.

Join us!” She exclaimed before grabbing his wrist and pulling down do sit next her.

He just let it happen as he plopped down quietly onto the lunch bench.

“This is Levi by the way, I met him yesterday after I helped him with a run in with Floch and his goons.”

Half of the table rolled their eyes, some even groaned.

“Those guys are such assholes.” Nanaba sneered as she shoved a tater tot into her open mouth.

“You’re new correct?” Moblit asked Levi softly with a small smile from his spot next to Hange’s other side.

Levi just gave him a neutrally bored expression before nodding.

“Ah, well I’m Moblit by the way.” The boy waved and Levi just stared at him before looking back at Hange.

“Oh right! That’s Moblit, and she’s Nanaba, Petra, Mike and Oluo.” She explained wile punting at each member of the group. “We mainky hange our during lunch because we have separate classes but feel free to come to any one of them if you need anything.”

“Yeah like a rescue from Floch’s dumbass.” Mike joked but Levi stayed quiet.

“Not much of a talker are you?” Oluo grinned at him.

“Nope.” Levi said bluntly.

Hange laughed as she pulled out a turkey sandwich she had packed for herself and began unwrapping it.

“Let him brood Oluo.” She snickered and Levi shot her a small glare. He took notice of her bruised hand but didn’t comment on it.

The brunette bit into the first half of her sandwich and munched happily before looking down at the empty space in front of the ravenette next to her. Did he not bring lunch? Did he not have any lunch money? She didn’t want to assume anything but she hoped he wasn’t starving himself. Not wanting to embarrass him she slid the other half infront of him and continue to dig into hers.

Levi just looked down at it before flicking his slate eyes towards her in question.

“You can have it, I usually don’t finish them. It’s turkey Swiss.” She spoke over a mouthful and Oluo grimaced before tossing a balled up napkin at her face.

“Yuck, you’ll make him loose his appetite like that.”

Hange shot him a middle finger before taking another bite.

Levi gave the sandwich another glance before picking it up and and taking a bite. It wasn’t bad, maybe it was because he was starving but it tasted fresh. Hange smiled as she watched him eat. The boy finished it in four bites before hange even finished her half, she made a mental note to bring an extra one for him tomorrow.

“So Levi, how come you started school here so late?” Petra piped up, a small blush creeping up on her cheeks.

Levi didn’t look at her as he balled up the sandwich wrapping and grabbed Hange’s empty chip bag before stuffing the wrapping inside and folding the chip bag.

“I moved.”

“A-Ah, where did you move from?”

Levi paused, clenching his fist and crumbling the chip bag before answering.

“South side.”

Petra’s eyes widened and the table became quiet, most of their eyes turned to him in shock. Even Hange was surprised but she didn’t want to make a show out of it, she just cracked open a bottle of apple juice she brought and took a sip.

Levi scowled at himself. He didn’t blame them for their reaction, the south side of Chicago wasn’t a pretty place to live in. It was chalk full with drug runners, prostitutes and gangbangers. It was almost one of the most poorest areas of Chicago, the place was so dangerous that people dubbed it the underground.

“..And you moved up here to Wrigleyville.” Mike said, keeping his eyes steady on Levi in an almost suspicious look.

“He probably had a good reason, enough with the interrogation. What are we the FBI?” Hange joked to ease the tension.

The lunch bell rang and Levi quickly got up to throw his trash away. Hange glared at Mike and the others who just shrugged and gave her sheepish looks before she darted after the boy.

“Hey!” She panted when she caught up to him as he walked back into the cafeteria and into the school halls. He didn’t stop to acknowledge her, he just kept walking.

“Sorry about them, they’re just curious.” She apologized.

“It’s fine.” He said once he reached his locker, unlocking it and pulling out his chemistry book and notebook. Hange perked up when she saw them.

“Oh you have chem next? Me too!” 

“Joy.” The raven haired teen sighed before slamming his locker shut.

Chemistry was uneventful, Levi sat in the back while Hange sat more towards the middle of the class. But that didn’t keep her from tosing him a few funny faces here and there, he would smirk at her on occasion but mostly he would just flip her off or throw a pen cap at her head.

After their final class Hange found him hanging around outside of the school gates smoking a cigarette.

“You smoke?” She asked him once she went up to him.

The teen shrugged and flicked of some of the ashes before taking another drag.

“Sometimes.”

Hange gave him a good look as she leaned against the railing of the school’s gate. If you’d looked at him you wouldn’t be able to tell that he came from the ‘underground’ much less that he smoked. His uniform fit immaculately on his small frame, not a single crease, wrinkle or stain in sight. His hair also looked soft, clean, shiny and well maintained. He was thin but not scrawny, he looked like we packed some muscle underneath. For a fifteen year old freshman that came straight out of the gutter he looked great.

“Your hand looks like shit by the way.” He said and flicked the now stubby cigarette onto the ground before grinding it with the bottom heel of his doc martens.

“Thanks for the sandwich.” He said before walking away from her.

“Wait!” Hange yelled before running to walk alongside him. “We should walk home together.”

He shoved his hands in his pockets before throwing her a sideways glance.

“You live on a different street than me.”

“So.” Hange shrugged before grinning. “Someone has to make sure you make it home safely, Floch likes to hold grudges. I don’t mind.”

“I can take care of myself.” He grunted.

She gave him an incredulous look.

“Yeah are you sure about that?” She teased and he slowed his walking to look at her with a full on glare.

“Look, four-eyes, it’s not like I go around looking to knock someone’s teeth in. It’s best if I avoid fighting during confrontations.”

The speckled teen titled her head at him in confusion. 

“Why?”

He rolled his eyes before continuing his pace down the sidewalk, passing by a local park and nearing the bridge where they met.

“Hold on.” Hange said and grabbed his arm before he could approach the bridge, Levi gave her another glare.

“Let’s not go that way, you know, just in case.” She winked at him.

“Whatever.” He said before continuing to walk passed the bridge.

“I thought you said you lived in another street?” Hange piped up once she recognized that they were now treading through the street she lived in.

“I do, I’m just taking you home first.” He deadpanned.

Hange gasped before pouting at him childishly. “Hey no fair! I was going to walk you home!”

Levi’s lip twitched upwards at her reaction. “Too bad, we’re here now.” He said while pointing at her home as the both of them approached. She looked to see that the driveway was empty of course her parents weren’t home.

“Aw man, I wanted to see where you live.” She whined.

Levi shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Next time four-eyes, man you’re so fucking weird.”

Truth be told Levi didn’t really want her to see where he lived. He may have moved out of the slums but he did not live in a place as desirable as hers. Hange’s house was a gorgeous two story villa style home compared to his old looking trailer home. It made him a bit embarrassed to say the least.

“How am I supposed to know if you got home safely and not kidnapped?” Hange pondered.

“Seriously?” He raised a thin eyebrow at her.

Hange giggled. “What it happens more than you know!”

“Yeah okay.” Levi snorted.

“Plus there Floch and his knuckleheads-”

“Give me your number then.”

Hange’s mouth quickly clamped shut. “E-Eh?” She stuttered, cheeks warming a bit.

“If you’re so worried about me getting jumped then give me your number, I’ll text you to let you know if I end up in a ditch.”

Hange laughed loudly, the sound disturbing a few crows that were perched in a nearby tree.

“That’s a good idea, especially since we’re friends now.” She said before pulling out her phone from her back pocket.

“I didn’t say that.” Levi muttered while pulling out his own battered phone.

“I did!” She teased before grabbing his phone after he unlocked it and handing him hers.

“I don’t remember consenting to that.” He said while putting in his number into her phone, cringing at her cracked screen. Despite her being more well of than him, her phone screen managed to look worse than his, and it was new!

“Too late, this makes it official!” The teenaged girl grinned while handing him back his phone and taking hers.

“I seem to have made a huge mistake then.” He said in mock despair.

“Aw, don’t be such a negative Nancy- Oh that’s going to be your contact name!” She smirked before typing into her phone.

“Don’t you fucking dare.” Levi growled before reaching for her phone but Hange was faster, she stepped back and lifted the phone away from his reach.

“Ha, shorty! I changed my mind, I’m going to put that as your contact name!” She boasted before quickly typing it in.

Levi glared at her before typing into his phone.

“Four-eyes it is for you then.”

Hange stuck her tongue out at him and he flipped her off, causing her to break out into a huge grin. Levi rolled his eyes at her before grinning himself.

“I’m going now.” He said as he shoved his phone back into his pocket and sticking his hands in after.

“Okay, see you tomorrow then?” 

Levi nodded before turning to walk away.

“Text me!” Hange called out after him and he just waved a hand over his shoulder at her without looking back.

Hange smiled before heading inside.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God I miss the fruit rollup days 😔

He did end up texting her once he got home.

you:

‘Still alive.’

Her reply was immediate.

four-eyes:

‘Phew :,D’

Levi huffed before typing quickly.

you:

‘So fucking weird.’

He then tossed his phone onto his bed before pulling off his school polo and placing it into the hamper he kept in his room. He kept his undershirt on but changed out of his school pants and into a pair of gym style shorts.

His phone dinged and Levi scooped it up and sat on the edge of his small bed before unlocking his phone.

four-eyes:

‘We’re in the same boat, since we’re friends now ;)’

The raven snorted and shook his head. This girl was relentless, did he have ‘be my friend!’ Written in bold on his forehead?

you:

‘You’re not going to quit are you?’

His phone dinged twice this time.

four-eyes:

‘Nope, hehe accept your fate >:)’

‘Oh, question!’

Levi heard the front door open and slam close, followed by heavy footsteps treading to where his mother’s room was. There were muffled mumbles between his mother and David, he checked to make sure his bedroom door was locked before sighing and leaning backwards onto his bed and sending his reply.

you:

‘Answer.’

Two more dings followed.

four-eyes:

‘So blunt -_-’

‘Peanut butter and jelly or turkey Swiss?’

Levi frowned down at the message. What the hell was she up to?

you:

‘Enthusiasm eludes me....why?”

four-eyes:

‘I’m making lunch for tomorrow, for the both of us :)’

Levi paused once he read the message, she was making him lunch? Why? Sure he didn’t eat lunch at school because he couldn’t afford to but he wasn’t one to beg or accept any pity charity from anyone. Is that what she thought she was doing? Feeding the poor?

you:

‘No thanks.’

four-eyes:

‘Aw come on :(’

Levi sighed, what was her deal? 

you:

‘Why?’

four-eyes:

‘I noticed that you didn’t bring lunch with you today, that’s why I let you half half of my sandwich :/’

The teen’s brows furrowed.

you:

‘I’m not a charity case.’

four-eyes:

‘No, you’re not, you’re my friend. And I care about all of my friends :)’

Levi sighed before running a hand through his fringe, any anger dissipating out of him. He really didn’t have the heart to turn her down, she’s been nothing but annoyingly nice to him since the day they met. He’d indulge her just this once.

you:

‘Fine....surprise me I guess.’

four-eyes:

‘Ooh so you’re into surprises >:3’

you:

‘Something tells me to beware of your kind of surprises.’

four-eyes:

‘Hey! I’m a really great suprise giver >:[]’

The teen’s lips twitched upwards into a small smirk before he sent his reply.

you:

‘We’ll see about that tomorrow.’

four-eyes:

‘You won’t be disappointed, shorty ;3’

you:

‘Bye, four-eyes.’

He waited for her reply before he got up.

four-eyes:

‘See you tomorrow, shorty :)’

After reading the message, Levi plugged his phone to its mangled charger before quietly unlocking and opening his bedroom window. He rummaged in his school bag for his pack of cigarettes and lighter and headed back to the open window. The teen leaned his body out before bringing one of the cigarettes in between his lips before cupping his hand over the end as he lit it up.

He wasn’t proud of the habit that he developed, he started taking on smoking when he was thirteen when he snagged a cigarette from David when he wasn’t looking. At first he did it to make David angry, but he soon became hooked on it because it calmed his nerves. He usually didn’t smoke no more than two or three a day but he’d been meaning to cut it down.

The raven took a long drag before sighing in relief as he exhaled, smoke curling and billowing around his pale face before dissolving into the outdoor air.

Hange chuckled to herself as she sent Levi her final text before going back to making their lunches and putting them away in the fridge.

After dusting her hands off and not even bothering to wash them she dug out her homework folder and notebooks out of her book bag before dumping them unceremoniously onto the coffee table of the living room and plopping herself onto the couch. She then turned on the tv and switched it to some random nature documentary, lowering the volume a little before diving into her homework.

Hange liked to take the opportunity to do her homework out in the open at her house since her parents weren’t home, instead of doing it at the lake. She just liked to work on it alone without the distraction of other people around her. When it rained and her parents were home she would just keep herself holed up in her room until she finished.

Around eight thirty Hange was finishing up a chem sheet which was the last of her homework when she heard the front door unlock. The brunette raised her head when the sound of her mother’s giggling flowed through the house, followed by a deep voiced whisper. Hange didn’t recognize the other voice.

Her mother walked into the living space and paused when she saw her daughter sitting on the couch.

“Oh Zoe, you’re still awake?” Her mother said a little to sweetly as she brushed down her mussed up hair. It’s was the same color as Hange’s but jus a little darker near the roots. Her mother wore her hair down in wavy styled locks with a black formal but job appropriate dress and heels. She also sported similar glasses like her daughter. Hange also noticed that her burgundy lipstick was a little smudged.

She was about to say something before an unfamiliar man walked in behind her mother with a grin. He wore a blue dress shirt with a darker blue tie over some black dress pants, his jacket was draped over his left arm. The man was clean shaven with dark hair that was almost graying that was slicked back with gel. Hange did not miss the way his dark eyes latched onto her teenage form the moment he spotted her, she almost shivered.

“Ah, this is Byron, a case worker that I’m working with for one of my clients.” Her mother introduced him to her daughter but she wasn’t convinced when she noticed a burgundy colored smudge on the corner of Byron’s mouth that looked suspiciously the same as her mother’s lipstick.

“You didn’t tell me you had such a beautiful daughter that looks just like you, Marge.” Byron said in a teasing tone before giving Hange a smile that made her want to physically cringe.

We mother giggled and placed her hand delicately over his arm, making Hange’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Thank you, her name is Zoe. She’s uh, thirteen I believe.”

“Fourteen.” Hange corrects bluntly.

Her mother laughs before smacking her forehead lightly. “Oh right, she’s in high school now haha, work am I right?”

Byron chuckles before looking back at Hange.

“You’re mother is a freight train, Zoe.”

She gave him an awkward smile.

“Sorry baby but we’re going to need the living room...for work. Her mother said to her.

Hange sighed in relief internally before quickly getting up and scooping all of her school work into her arms and making a beeline upstairs to her bedroom.

Once she slammed the door closed behind her she dropped her work onto her bed before removing her glasses to massage at her eyes. She sighed before slipping them back onto her face, ignoring the smudged up lenses.

Yeah, they were definitely not going to do any work down there.

She figured that her parents weren’t necessarily happily married, but she never thought her mother would be this bold enough to bring the affair into their home. Hange almost felt disrespected. Did her mother think that she wasn’t going to be home?

The messy brunette didn’t know what to feel, hurt? Anger? She was conflicted.

Hange shook her head before transferring her homework from the bed and onto her desk before flopping her body onto the bed and burrowing into the sheets. The teen decided to ignore the issue and get some rest for school tomorrow, she almost groaned at the fact that it would be Friday tomorrow. She never had anything to do on the weekends besides hang around the lake or be anywhere but home.

Laughter resonated from downstairs and Hange reached over to grab her phone and earbuds from her night table before plugging the buds into her phone and basting her music before squeezing her eyes shut and willing sleep to come.

“A fruit roll up.....really?”

“They’re a delicacy! Have you ever had them?”

Levi eyed the long, silver packaged candy warily.

“No, I’m not into sweets.” The boy lied. Snacks like the one in front of him we’re never a part of his childhood, and he actually enjoyed certain sweets.

“Tough luck kiddo, you’re goin’ to try it now. Hange’s orders.” Nanaba snickered from her position over Mike’s lap.

She was sipping on a milk carton while doodling a skull onto her boyfriend’s arm with a black sharpie. Mike and Nanaba were a grunge year looking couple, Nanaba works her hair really short, like boy cut short. She had on ripped black stockings underneath her dark blue school skirt, with a pair of chunky leather platform boots. She also had four piercings on each ear, two cartilage and two on the lobe and a nose piercing on her septum. The blonde liked to keep her nails short and painted black, but it never really lasted long because she liked to chip the paint off herself.

Mike let her paint his own nails black as well, he liked the way it looked. He wore his uniform untucked with the sleeves rolled up so Nanaba could tat his arms, and his feet were adorned with a pair of black scuffed combat boots. Both of his ears were pierced, one was a black ball stud and the other was a dangling silver spear.

Mike chuckled and grabbed one of his girlfriend’s sharpies and sniffed it, Levi gave him a weirded out look and Mike just smiled satisfyingly.

They were in lunch and Hange was showing Levi what she had packed for the both of them, a fruit roll up happened to be part of the menu. She also made them both Black Forest ham and cheddar sandwiches paired with cool ranch Doritos, apple juice and the fruit roll up for dessert.

The brunette teared the treat open in an aggressive manner, cackling to herself as she unrolled it and peeled the plastic lining from the sticky candy. Levi watched the whole thing with a mildly terrified grimace.

“Here.” She says as she handed it over to him, it was a half blue and half green color with an inky smiley face on each side. The raven wrinkled his nose and shook his head, dark parted bangs falling into his field of vision.

“I’m not eating that, you haven’t even washed your hands.” 

The girl rolled her light brown eyes before huffing

“Fine but open yours.” She said before pressing the candy to her wet tongue, smiley face side down. She waited a few seconds before removing it and sticking her tongue out at him to show the smudge figure of what once was a smiling face, it looked more like it was screaming in agony now.

“Is a tathoo!” She explained to him cheerfully with her tongue still out.

“Gross.” Levi muttered, and she just laughed before shoving him lightly and tearing at the chewy candy.

The whole time the exchange happened Nanaba and Mike were making out and Moblit and Petra were watching Hange and Levi while sharing a few glances while Oluo devoured his own lunch.

“Hey if you don’t want it I’ll take it.” Oluo said over a mouthful of mashed potatoes before reaching out to to grab Levi’s fruit roll up.

Petra quickly slapped his hand away. 

“That’s for Levi, I’ll get you your own.” She scolded him sternly and the curly haired boy pouted.

“So much authority for such a small woman, I think I’m in love!” He sighed dramatically as he leaned into the ginger’s side make her blush.

Petra and Oluo weren’t a couple but it was obvious to everyone around them that he had a big fat crush on her. They were cute really, Petra was a sweet girl, sometimes shy but an all around wholesome creature. She was the shortest of the group, shorter than Levi and he didn’t think that that would be possible. She was girly but strong in her own way, an activist like Hange but instead of the and equality type of stuff she leaned towards environmental awareness. 

Her attire for today was the usual school uniform with white sneakers and pink and yellow frilly socks. She sported her everyday pink Kipling bookbag and light blue hydroflask bottle.

Oluo on the other hand was a video game addicted pot head with a really big heart. He could sometimes act like an idiot but when it came to helping someone out he would drop everything to be there for them. He was goofy and lived to make people laugh. Sometimes it was unintentional, like when he would talk way to fast or enthusiastic and would end up biting his tongue. Petra would burst out into those fits of giggles that he liked so much, they reminded him of the sound of Christmas bells or something cute like that.

Oluo’s attire was his uniform of course but his shirt was wrinkled and he liked to keep it untucked. He wore a pair of well kept Nike’s and his tie hung loose around his neck. When Levi has questioned his appearance he replied with a, ‘This is fashion Levi, it takes a certain type of person to pull it off.”

Levi was sure that Oluo was the only type of person who would dress like that.

Hange dragged Levi to her lake spot as soon as school ended

“You actually spend time out in this shit hole?” He asked her while eyeing one of the ducks that waddled a little too close for comfort.

“Hey, it’s not that bad. It’s nice and quiet and there’s plenty of company.” The girl told him, gesturing towards the ducks.

The ravenette rolled his eyes.

“Then you don’t need me to be here then.”

Hange cackled as she made her way to one of the benches that was underneath an old oak tree. The lanky teen plopped herself down before scooting over and patting the seat next to her.

“Nah, I like your company.” She says with a wide grin.

The boy sighs before sitting next her and placing his school bag on his lap.

He watches the brunette unzip her backpack and pull out her homework folder and two notebooks and a pen and pencil.

“I like to do my homework here.” She mumbles without looking at him and flips open her folder to pull out a homework packet she received from her English class.

“Why not at home?” Levi inquires before he can stop himself.

The speckled teen pauses before slipping the eraser of her pencil in her mouth and chewed on it nervously. Levi had to stop himself from snatching the pencil away from her mouth.

“I don’t like being at home.... it’s boring I guess.” She lied.

The smaller teen gave her a sideways glance before taking out a book from his school bag and opening it to the page he last left off. Hange’s face lit up like a Christmas tree once she saw the cover.

“Pet semetary?! You didn’t tell me you were into Stephen king!” She practically shrieked.

Levi finched behind his book at her volume before throwing a glare in her direction.

“Never came up, shitty glasses.” He grumbled before flipping to the next page.

Hange snorted before opening one of her notebooks. “That’s a new one, my glasses are just a shitty as you are short. Haha.”

The boy rolled his eyes.

“What’s your preference on IT, book or movie adaptation?” The brunette asked as he scribbled down an answer to one of the questions on the homework packet.

Levi was silent for a couple of seconds before flipping to another page.

“Neither. I don’t care for child murdering clowns.” He droned out in a bored tone.

“Really?” Hange snickered as she clicked her mechanical pencil twice to extract new led, before sparing him a teasing glance. “I thought that would be more of your kind of thing.”

“No Hange, it’s sounds like yours.”

The younger teen cackled at his comeback, Levi watched her from the corner of his eyes as she clutched at her midsection. Her big brown eyes crinkled and watered behind her lenses as she made these weird snorts and chuckling sounds. His lips twitched slightly upwards before he turned back to the book in front of him.

“You’re funny as hell shorty.” Hange wheezed as she settled back down to her homework on her lap.

The two freshmen settled into a weirdly comfortable silence. The only thing that could be heard was the chilly January winds rustling the leaves of the tree above them, the duck’s wings flapping against the lake water, Hange’s scribbling and the occasional dry sound of Levi turning a page.

After a good thirty minutes Levi paused his reading and slipped his Jack skelington themed bookmark between the pages he left off, before gently closing the book and depositing it in his bag.

“Is it okay if I smoke?” He inclined and pulled out the pack of cigarettes and lighter from his pocket.

His companion glanced at him before shrugging.

“If I say yes would you let me have one?”

“Not happening, four eyes.” Levi scoffed before slipping a smoke in between his lips and lighting it up. 

Hange watched as smoked billowed from his open mouth as he exhaled, small lips forming into a loose ‘o’. 

“Those things will kill you, you know that right?” She tells him as she leans back on the bench and looks far off over the lake.

“I’m aware.” He replies dully.

She glances back at him, takes in his pale but youthful face. She took note of the dark circles underneath his slate eyes. He looked like he’s seen some major shit.

“So then why don’t you quit?” The brunette inquired.

Levi pauses to take a drag before answering.

“Why should I?”

Hange huffs and turns her body around to fully face him, homework forgotten on her lap.

“I just said that those things wi-”

“ ‘Will kill me.’ Yeah I know, what I meant was tha there really isn’t a reason for me to care enough to quit. My life is shitty as it is.”

Hange’s sepia eyes didn’t waver from his form as he directed his gaze towards her.

Shit, did he say too much?

He definitely did, fuck.

“Hmm, well if it helps my life is pretty shitty too, and I don’t smoke.” The girl chimed thoughtfully.

The older teen raised his thin eyebrows at her statement.

“Then why do you keep asking me for one?”

“Maybe I also want to speed up process.” She teased.

The raven snorted before pulling the half cigarette away from his mouth to look down at it.

“That’s fucked.” He mumbles before tossing it on the grass below them and stomping it with his boot.

“Aren’t we all.” Hange responded glumly, brows pinching downwards as she stared at the discarded cigarette.

She almost startled Levi when she suddenly shot up from her seat and bent down to pick up the cigarette and deposited it in her pocket before turning to her shorter companion.

“Do not litter the place of worship.” She joked in a deep voice.

“Apologies father.” He said dryly and Hange broke out into a full on smile that almost blinded him.

The younger teen chuckled to herself as she packed up her things, the sun was beginning to set and she didn’t want it to get too dark before she got home. Not that her parents would care.

“Walk me home?” She asks Levi as she shrugged on her pack.

Levi nodded, dark bangs fluttering over his light eyes, before getting up and slinging the strap of his school bag over his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I accidentally made Petra a vsco girl, I’m sorry lmaooo.


End file.
